An Atypical Investigation
by donutsweeper
Summary: The NCIS team is about to investigate the murder of a marine and a civilian when they discover the civilian isn't as dead as they thought... Crossover with Torchwood.


Coming back from the dead was never easy for Jack. You'd think that after the first couple of hundred or so times he'd have gotten used to it, but that wasn't the case. First of all it was painful. And second of all, there was the momentary panic when consciousness and life returned and he'd have to try to figure out where he was and what had happened and, if anyone was present, how the heck he was going to explain his magical resurrection. Sometimes that wasn't an issue, when he was with his team or the Doctor, but other times...

"What the hell? Hands where I can see them!"

Those were never the best words to hear upon taking his first breath, and the sound of multiple guns being drawn and cocked that followed wasn't much of an improvement. He cracked open his eyes to reveal a dusky sky, an overhanging canopy of trees and three SIG Sauers pointed directly at him. Slowly, he raised his hands, palms out to show he had no weapon of his own.

"Oh my, Captain Harkness, is that you?" The person speaking was not one of the people toting the guns. Unlike the first speaker, this one was not American, and was one he vaguely recognized. "Dear boy, I did not expect to see you again under these circumstances."

"Stay back!" Someone out of Jack's line of sight ordered.

However, the command was ignored, and the familiar sounding voice got stronger as the speaker approached. "In fact, if I remember correctly, you promised to prevent such a reoccurrence."

Jack smiled as he recognized the voice. "Sorry Dr. Mallard, although it's better than a repeat of the first time we met."

"Ah yes." Dr. Mallard soon appeared next to Jack's shoulder. "My autopsy table; a most unusual place to have made one's acquaintance. And one I do not care to repeat under any circumstances, if you don't mind. Now, I believe I have asked you to call me Ducky several times since then." Ducky tutted, and wagged a finger at Jack before taking him by the hand and pulling him up into a seated position.

"Yes, you have, but I believe you also told me I should respect my elders." Jack ignored the other people around them, giving his old friend a brilliant smile.

"And you not only listened, but are actually following my advice? My, that is unexpected. You could teach Anthony here a thing or two about that." Ducky gestured to the crisply dressed man behind him, but then noticed that everyone surrounding them still had their guns out. "Oh, do put those away." When they didn't immediately comply Ducky spoke again, this time looking at the oldest of the agents, the one obviously in charge, "Jethro." It was nearly a warning, the way it was growled.

Jethro gave Ducky a long look before slowly and purposefully raising the gun, putting the safety on, and slipping it into its holster. The others followed suit. "Old friend, Duck?" he asked, his tone cautious as he regarded Jack with an eagle-eyed glare.

"Oh, yes. Jack and I go back quite a long time, actually. In fact I remember this time back in Nineteen-"

"Later," the agent interrupted, neatly cutting off whatever story Ducky was about to launch into. He pointed at Jack. "So, start talking. What happened here?"

Ducky clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Play nice now you two!" Ducky admonished before he left them to walk over to where another body lay, a marine, who, unlike Jack, had stayed dead.

With a wince and a stretch, Jack stood up. "And you are?" he said, addressing the lead agent.

"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS," was the gruff reply, accompanied by a flick of a badge, "Naval Criminal..."

"Investigative Service, I know." Jack looked pointedly at the rest of Gibbs' team. "And these fine folks are?"

"My team," Gibbs replied tersely.

Jack laughed. "You are exactly like Dr. Mallard described you." Gibbs merely raised an eyebrow in response. Jack slowly pushed his greatcoat to the side, explaining as he reached into his pocket, "I'm going to pull out my identification now." Keeping his movements slow and deliberate he passed it over, and wisely made no comment as Gibbs squinted at the identification, bringing it closer to his face, and then further away, and then closer again. Looking over, he saw the other agents were still watching him. He approached the one Ducky had spoken of earlier. "Captain Jack Harkness. Special Agent DiNozzo, I presume?" Jack offered DiNozzo a wide grin as he grasped the other man's hand tightly; and if their hands lingered together slightly longer than necessary, what was the harm in that?

"DiNozzo." It was a warning, hissed softly by Gibbs, and resulted in the abrupt release of Jack's hand. But the dazzling smile remained on DiNozzo's face.

"Call me Tony," he said as he slipped past Jack. "Yeah, Boss?" His tone was innocent and carefree as he addressed Gibbs.

"Sketch." Gibbs looked up at his other agents. "McGee, grab the camera. Ziva? The witnesses are yours." He motioned to the two joggers sitting on a park bench under the careful eye of a local police officer. "Harkness? You're with me." With a jerk of his head Gibbs led Jack out of the immediate area of the crime scene. He was careful to stay close enough to keep a watchful eye on his people yet leave them enough room to do their jobs. "Well?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much." Seeing Gibbs stiffen he added, "Sorry. You simply don't have the clearance."

"What _can _you tell me?"

"Well, the cover story will be that Lance Corporal Ames over there got his hands on a highly classified and very experimental device designed to quell riots by incapacitating large groups of people at one time using an electromagnetic burst. He attempted to test it before using it for whatever sort of nefarious purpose he had planned, but was unaware how to properly activate it and it misfired, killing him."

"Nefarious?" Gibbs' tone was guarded.

Jack shrugged. "I'll let you fill in the details if you like."

"So just where is this mysterious device?"

"I think that you'll find that once you turn him over there will be small metallic shards embedded in his hands, and maybe his chest. Although," Jack raised his voice so it would carry over to where the Medical Examiner and his assistant were examining the corpse, "as I'm sure Doctor Mallard will discover, the pieces will be difficult to remove and any that tests that might be run on its fragments will wind up to be inconclusive."

"Quite so, Captain Harkness." Ducky looked up, gave an understanding nod, and saluted briefly with a liver probe. "You are always quite knowledgeable about the nature of such things."

Gibbs glared at Ducky for a moment before turning his gaze back to Jack. "So that's the cover story. What's the real story?"

Jack smiled warmly. "It's pretty similar, except for the fact your Marine here was messing about with something that no one on Earth should have ever been able to get their hands on and had no hope of even remotely understanding. He would have wound up killing every living thing within a 500 kilometer radius if I hadn't caused a biofeedback loop by destroying it."

"How _did _you destroy it?"

"Do you really want a technical explanation? Because I'm not sure..." Jack trailed off, noticing someone approaching the 'do not cross' tape the police were stringing around the crime scene, and called out, "Aha! He's with me. Let him through please."

The police officer looked at Gibbs for confirmation.

"Why should I?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, I asked nicely. And he has the same clearance as I do, which actually supersedes yours. But, most importantly, he's bringing coffee." Coffee proved to be the magic word as Gibbs gestured to let the man through.

"Here you are, sir." The newcomer handed Jack a large coffee.

"Thanks, Ianto. Ianto Jones meet Special Agent Gibbs, that extra coffee I asked you to pick up is for him."

"How do you do, sir?" Ianto asked solicitously as he handed Gibbs a coffee.

"Don't sir me, I work for a living," Gibbs sniped at Ianto, who merely tilted his head in response.

Jack sipped his coffee for a few minutes as he watched the agents work the scene. "You do realize they won't find anything that they'll be able to put into an official report, don't you?"

"Because it won't fit into your cleverly crafted cover story?"

Holding up a hand, Jack took a step back. "Hey, I worked very hard on that story. And I think you'll even find that Ianto has had made sure that the press will run a lovely little news bulletin about a break-in at a research and development facility nearby that will nicely explain away the mysterious device that killed your lance corporal." Jack took one last sip, draining his cup. "Well, that's that. It was a pleasure working with you Agent Gibbs. Come on, Ianto." Jack crushed the empty cup in his hands and then threw it into a nearby garbage basket. He turned to leave, but when Gibbs reached out and made a motion to stop him Jack stayed where he was, tossing a quick, "Pull the car around, Ianto. I'll meet you there in a second," over his shoulder.

"You never did tell me what really happened here. Or how you stopped the device from killing everyone."

"No I didn't." Jack and Gibbs eyed one another for a moment. "I could tell you a story of aliens and intrigue, where the dashing and handsome hero saves the world. But, we both know you wouldn't believe it, no matter how many elements of truth were in it." Jack offered his hand. "Maybe we'll run into one another again, Agent Gibbs. And please tell your Agent DiNozzo to look me up if he ever gets to Wales, Dr. Mallard has my number." Jack laughed at the way Gibbs clenched his jaw in response. "Or not," Jack added as he turned to leave, "your choice."

"Captain?" Ducky called out, halting Jack in midstride.

"Yes, Doctor Mallard? I mean, Ducky?" Jack corrected himself with a brilliant smile as he went over to his old friend.

"I do expect a proper reunion next time you are in town." Ducky admonished him with a stern look.

"Of course, Ducky." Jack clasped Ducky's arm and kissed him firmly the mouth before he turned around and ducked under the police tape, heading towards the SUV idling at the curb. "I'll look forward to it. Be seeing you!"

"Duck?" Gibbs seemed uncharacteristically flustered.

"Oh, that's just Captain Harkness for you, Jethro. Perhaps later I shall tell you all about him." Ducky waved away Gibbs' confusion. "But, for now, why don't you help us with Lance Corporal Ames here."


End file.
